Cat-Toy "The Tank"

thingiverse

Spinning Tool for cats. I've got one straight from the factory, but I'm not crazy about how they're moving the rod. As a result, the bought toy is pretty boring for the cats. I was thinking of using an ESP8266-Wifi-Modul to control it. Tests with an Arduino looked good - the cat's were interested, by the way! https://vimeo.com/208030539 Update: Many months later, I tried out different chip systems. The ESP8266 needed too much power in standby mode. In the end, I went for cheap 433MHz-OOK-Moduls and a Arduino Nano. Now, I can control it using an old remote control for sockets or my openhab home automation system that includes a 433MHz-OOK-Transmitter. You can download my code too. The init-sequence helps to find the working range of your servo - example: T0800 moves the servo to the 800ms milliseconds position. If it works, you can save the value as the lower border by "L0800". Same with upper border. The construction isn't a great design, but it's stable and easy to print with plenty of space for electronics and batteries. I spent extra time making sure it would print without supports. You'll need some 3mm screws and nuts to mount a rod on the device. A bearing is not necessary, but it reduces the force on the servo-axis. The arm of the servo is glued from inside to the cover - there's a hole in the cover so you can screw the cover and servo together. The FreeCAD-Files show the latest upgrades and bug fixes. The STL-files just contain the prototype you see in the picture, so it's recommended to make a fresh export from the design-data! Print Settings: Printer: Prusa i3 (PLA) Rafts: No Supports: No Resolution: 0.2 - 0.3 Infill: 15% Notes: I can try printing in ABS, but most people will have trouble with big parts warping. So, I switched to PLA for a very flat, warp-free surface.